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Q: Is 'waiguoren' a racist word?
I was walking around my apartment complex the other day, and little kid with grandfather said "waiguoren". And I thought to myself, that little kid has already been taught to differentiate between Chinese and non-Chinese.
What's worse, he's going to have it instilled in him that the difference is relevant and significant - ie, important! And, thus, he's going to be of the 'we're better than you, because of where we're from' mentality.
Now, where I come from, the concept of 'foreign' is very rarely relevant... a person is just a person (although, being a tax-payer and all that makes some difference for some things). But the majority of people take someone at face value, and we're interested in where someone comes from... not in trying to assess relative worth.
So, it's been asked before, but... especially given the recent reports about 'foreigners' in the news) - is the word overtly racist??
And, if so, what to do about it??? (I, for one, point out to those who say it to/about me, that we're all 'waiguoren' to others all around the world... or "wo bushi waiguoren... wo shi zhen de ren" 
I agree. I often want to tell people (especially kids) who shout "waiguoren" to me that I am in fact just a "ren", exactly the same as you and no different. I'm sure such words, however superficially they are interpreted, do delve into the conscience and form certain images assumptions based on their literal meaning. For example - Zhongguo - middle country. Just a name to me but some I've met certainly do think they come from a country at the center of the world and that everything else is inferior.
I don't think the word itself is racist as much as the word "foreigner" is, though it certainly doesn't help in leading to separations and potentially racist sweeping views - the amount of times I've from Chinese people "oh, I aren't all you waiguoren such and such" and "don't foreigners like this and that", but I suppose that's more stereotyping than anything which all humans do. Still.
The place where fillal piety shows its ugly face. As grandparents are such a major influence to kids, it will take twice as many generations for China to learn that people are people. If ever.
Scandinavian:
....this message.written during some intense staring from an old geezer
Scandinavian:
And I could add an actual answer to OP. No Waigouren is not racist. But when you shout it at people who are obviously different looking, then that becomes a racist act.
no the word is not racist. to a racist or ethnocentric person they will use any word (or hand gesture) as a tool to express their ignorance. but the word is just that, a tool. it can be used intelligently or ignorantly.
The word waiguoren only means that you are from abroad, regardless of your race or your skin colour, although for some waiguorens, it is easier and quicker to figure out that they are foreigners because of their looks.
Now, it's all up to the intention of the user of the word. Any word can be interpreted as racist if that's what you want to use it for. Nobody can really deny that xenophobia exists everywhere
Is the word 'foreigner' racist?
In my opinion no it isn't, it CAN reflect a racist attitude, but then so can any word. In 3 years in China I have only been called waigouren openly once, and that was a couple of young kids who didn't sound nasty just sort of 'wow look a foreigner' type of statement.
Hugh.G.Rection:
Nanning, Guangxi Province. Come visit anytime.
Of course I don't mix with any expat community tbh I don't think there really is one here, but I'm married to a local woman and pretty integrated into the community (as much as my language skills allow).
I tend to view your posts on here in the opposite way you appear to view mine e.g. where is this vile racist China they are always talking about where people urinate and defecate anywhere, steal, cheat all foreigners at all times just because they are a foreigner, and are all so brainwashed that they cannot think without the aid of an American?
You really do want to stand back and look at the posts on this site as a complete unit. It tells you a lot about the average type of person who uses this site.
crimochina:
ras: if you believe that i got a plot on the moon i would like to sell you.
nicholasba:
hahah, i dont think that the place you live is that "chinese"...
that could be explained maybe with the fact that you're living in a place where there are 35 minorities living together and the Zhuang ethnic group seems to be the majority.It seems to me that this habit to divide the world in china and laowaistan is purely HAN, the majority and those we usually refer as chinese.
Hugh.G.Rection:
Perhaps Nicholasba, perhaps. As this is the only part of China I have lived in I am not qualified to comment. However I will say my wife is Han.
Shining_brow:
Lucky you, Hugh.
I live in HANGZHOU, one of the most 'developed' cities in the entire country, with a large expat population... and it still happens! The 'waiguoren' comments (LOTS!!!!), parents teaching their kids to shit and piss on the sidewalk (instead of walking a couple of meters and doing it in the bushes), people (from older right down to younger generations) charging onto buses, etc... all the worst aspects of Chinese culture...
And getting ripped off.. well, I've certainly made some good acquaintances around me, and quite a few shopkeepers are nice and give a 'loyalty' discount... but there are others who are quite willing to rip me off!
as long as they say look at the he handsome foreigner I'm happy!
I don't think it's racist. Obviously they need a word for us non-Chinese although I do admit we are always clumped into one big unit despite coming from hundreds of nations. Often, kids and adults alike shout out "waiguoren" because it's exciting for them to see a foreigner, but I think most of the time it's an expression of curiosity and surprise. There's nothing racist or offensive meant by it.
Shining_brow:
Ah, no, they don't need a word for 'us non-Chinese'.... there are times and places for using such words - usually in government and law - but walking down the street is NOT one of them!
I don't know about you, but I rarely have need to use a word like 'foreigner' in any context. Let alone just to point someone out...
No need to repeat the other comments but the Chinese attitude towards foreigners combined with (the flaws in) their self-perception (read Samsara's blog on that) can lead to weird ways of thinking.
I was approached by a young man once who wanted to practice his oral English, because he would be going to Canada soon, he was learning to become a pilot. So I said, hey, you're gonna be a waiguoren soon then! He looked at me like I was completely out of my mind. He? A waiguoren? Impossible! Well, I said, in Canada you'll be the waiguoren, won't you? Then he laughed softly, a little embarrassed it seemed, but he didn't say another word.
Of course the Canadese won't display the same attitude towards foreigners in Canada that the Chinadians do in China. If anything, the young man will be clinging to his Chinese identity in Canada more than ever before, and hang out with his compatriots only. Probably he will still not be able to have a conversation in English after he's finished his year abroad, and fly only domestic planes afterwards. There's a lot of bricks in the Great Wall running through the Chinese psyche.
i do oreintation classes for chinese students who will be travelling abroad.
i like the look on their faces when i tell them THEY will be the foreigners.
then i add, 'don't worry, you won't be stared at or anything'
GuilinRaf:
Though the taxi cabs will try to scam them, but that is universal....
sorrel:
home town taxi drivers try this on me too any time I am back home
